Chinedu was on his way home one evening when he spotted a POS machine lying in a drainage canal in Ikeja, Lagos. It had rained heavily the previous night, and the canal was filled with rubbish, as is evident with most mega/over populated cities. Curious, he climbed down and retrieved it. The machine looked dirty but surprisingly intact. As a POS operator himself, Chinedu knew how expensive these machines could be. His own had been malfunctioning for weeks, and he had been saving to replace it. “Maybe God has finally answered my prayers,” he muttered as he carried it home. The following morning, while attending to customers at his kiosk, a man driving a black Toyota Camry approached him.
“Are you Chinedu? I heard you found a POS machine yesterday.”
Chinedu became cautious. “Yes. Is it yours?”
The man did not answer the question.
“I will give you five hundred thousand naira for it. Bring it to me, and don't ask questions.”
Chinedu stared at him. Five hundred thousand naira was more money than he could make in several months.
“Why was it inside a canal?” he asked.
The man's expression changed.
“That is none of your business. You have until this afternoon to decide.”
He walked away, leaving Chinedu confused and tempted. That evening, Chinedu switched on the machine. It requested a password, and after several unsuccessful attempts, he noticed a label beneath the battery cover bearing the name of a payment service provider.
He contacted the company's customer service and explained where he had found it. After taking the serial number, the representative became unusually serious.
“Please don't give that machine to anybody who approaches you privately. Bring it to our office.”
Chinedu's heart began to race, like what have i gotten myself into. The next afternoon, the stranger returned.
“Have you made up your mind?” he asked.
“I contacted the company. They want the machine.”
The man's face darkened.
“You don't know what you're getting yourself into, young man. Take the money and forget everything.” For the first time, Chinedu was certain that something was wrong. He immediately took the machine to the payment service provider's office. After examining its details, the staff explained that it had been reported missing and was potentially connected to an investigation into fraudulent transactions involving several kidnappers account and fraudsters accounts. The machine might contain evidence that could help investigators trace the people responsible. Chinedu was stunned. What he had considered a lucky discovery was connected to something much bigger.
The company documented the device and notified the appropriate authorities. Chinedu gave his statement and described the man who had offered him money. Several days later, news broke that investigators had arrested suspects linked to a financial fraud network. One of the men pictured in the report was the same stranger who had visited Chinedu's kiosk.
Chinedu stared at the photograph, grateful he had refused the offer. He never received the promised five hundred thousand naira, and his small business continued as usual. But he had avoided becoming entangled in a crime he knew nothing about. Sometimes, as he passed the canal, he remembered the machine that had nearly changed his life.
Image is generated by Gemini